Glendora community mourns loss of soldier killed in Afghanistan

GLENDORA - Just as the nation was readying to pay tribute to the troops on Veteran's Day, one young soldier was killed in the line of duty.

Glendora native Sgt. Kenneth Wade Bennett, 26, whom friends and family knew as "Wade," died Saturday after sustaining injuries from an explosion during his third deployment to Afghanistan.

Bennett, who joined the Army in 2004 after graduating from Glendora High School, was trained as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist - an explosives expert responsible for locating and explosively disposing of IEDs and other bombs.

He was assigned to the 53rd Ordnance Company (EOD), 3rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Details of the circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately available.

A neighbor and family friend said Bennett, who referred to himself on his Facebook page as a "Bomb Ninja," loved his job and was very dedicated to it.

"He was good at what he did and felt like what he did was really important," said Bob Jennings, who spoke with Bennett before he left for his most recent tour in Afghanistan, which began in September.

"I asked him `do you really want to go back?' And his answer was `it's my job, it's what I do,"' Jennings said.

The husband and father of a two-year-old girl comes from a tight-knit family that enjoyed camping and off-road activities, Jennings said.

Bennett's mother, Nancy Bennett, serves as co-chair of Project Glendora Yellow Ribbon, an organization aimed at bringing recognition to local men and women serving in the military. The group also created the city's military banner program.

"I am amazed by the courage of our young men and women and the sacrifice they and their families make during this time," Nancy Bennett says in her bio on the organization's website. "Every time I present a banner to a returning service member, it's a moment of extreme pride and it still brings me to tears of joy that they have returned home safely."

Cath Howarth, the organization's secretary, said she and Nancy have discussed placing black bands with gold service stars on the banners of their fallen soldiers to signify their death and their service to their country.

"It shocks me to think that she will be the first one to have that applied to her son's banner," Howarth said.

On Monday morning, community members transported a flag adorned with Bennett's name to his family home. That flag had flown at the Field of Valor at a Covina middle school for a week-long tribute in observance of Veteran's Day. By Monday afternoon, neighbors and others placed flowers near the flag as they grieved the loss.

Bennett was the recipient of several awards and decorations, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, an Army Good Conduct Medal with three bronze loops, National Defense Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal, according to the Department of Defense.

Bennett is survived by his 2-year-old daughter Lila Grace, wife Mandi, younger sister Rene and parents Nancy and Ken Bennett and by his Brothers in Arms, "who have provided us with so much support during this time," his sister Rene said by email.